Children will light up the world if we don’t keep them in the dark | Lucretia Berry | TEDxCharlotte

I share a few real life instances where people exhibit how horrible we are as a society at talking with children about race and skin tone. We’ve even resorted to promoting blindness — ‘colorblindess’ — that is, to avoid the complexities and nuances of the conversation. I then share insights from current research and my perspective and experience on how we can do better, much much better. WHY ARE WE SO BAD at talking to kids about skin tone and race?
Children do see differences in skin tone. We don’t have to irresponsibly silence them with the ‘colorblind approach.’ When we responsibly normalize conscious conversations about skin tone and race, we empower them to be competent, comfortable, and courageous as they navigate our hyper-racialized society and seek ways to bring healing and change. Lucretia Berry is the founder of Brownicity: The Art & Beauty of Living & Loving Beyond Race (brownicity.com), a family-focused, grass roots initiative dedicated to advocacy, education and support for racial healing and antiracism. She is a wife to Nathan, mother of three little girls, and former college professor who is passionate about helping people overcome boundaries through spiritual and social consciousness. Lucretia authored, What LIES Between Us: Fostering First Steps Towards Racial Healing Journal & Guide, designed specifically for ‘beginners’ to race conversations. The work she has done through her What LIES Between US classes and the ‘fun-shops’ she designed to help adults navigate skin tone and race conversations with children has earned Lucretia the reputation of being a ‘life-giving’ and ‘grace-filled’ facilitator.

Lucretia earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, and MA in English from Iowa State University, and her BA from South Carolina State University. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx